Friday Open Thread [8.7.15]

Friday Open Thread [8.7.15]

1 Comment
My take, from the brief parts that I could stand to watch: Trump hurt himself among all humans, living or dead. But not enough to end his campaign or for him not to the frontrunner. But I suspect, when actual votes are counted, Donald Trump will do very poorly. The two candidates that stood out most to me as a Democrat are John Kasich and Marco Rubio. Both would be very difficult candidates to beat in the general, I think. But both have faults. Rubio still seems unpolished and he has this... what I can only describe as a "scared" tone in his voice that I attribute to new public speakers. And he looks too young. Not young and vibrant, like Clinton, Gore and Obama, but young and no where near ready. I cannot escape the feeling that Rubio is just running for Vice President. And he had a major flub when he basically endorsed Hillary Clinton as the most qualified person for the job. Kasich's problems are that his answers that make him dangerous in the general will hurt him in the primary. Accepting Obamacare and Accepting Gay Marriage. I cannot imagine more lethal apostasies. And he flat out lied when he said he balanced the federal budget when he was chair of the OMB during George W. Bush's first term. Nope, Mr. Kasich, you inherited a balanced budget from President Clinton, which you immediately put into the red with your tax cuts. Is it me or is Jeb Bush the Incredibly Shrinking Man? Has he lost like 50 pounds? And the more he speaks, the more he sounds like W. "In Florida they call me Jeb, cause I earned it?" Earned what? Being called Jeb? That's dumb. The Christie v. Paul cat fight was fun, and Paul was right about the Bill of Rights. Why is Scott Walker getting good poll numbers? He was the most underwhelming and disappointing last night. Huckabee was Huckabee, a fascist theocrat. Cruz was Cruz, a modern day Joe McCarthy.
Who “won” the debate? That’s easy… Republicans won

Who “won” the debate? That’s easy… Republicans won

2 Comments
Roger Ailes, Fox News and the RNC won. Crazy-ass modern Republican economics (which have failed, and failed, and failed) won. The notion that we should bomb Iran rather than talk to Iran won big time. If you think the country would be better off with school vouchers and without Planned Parenthood - you won! Congrats. This was not a debate, but a disgusting travesty. That our political process had devolved to this makes me sick. That those nine nit wits (and Ben Carson) got to stand up on a national stage and be taken seriously as candidates for high office is an absolute indictment of this country and its people. William Henry Harrison read the military history of ancient Rome and Julius Caesar in Latin. Teddy Roosevelt spoke French, German, Greek and could read Latin. The collective brain power of the men on the stage last night couldn't power a night light. A lot will be written about who scored what points, but the bottom line is - Idiocy won. America lost.
Debate Prediction Thread

Debate Prediction Thread

6 Comments
Huckabee manifests the stigmata of Christ. (May or may not also speak in tongues.) Trump lights a cigar with a $1,000 bill. Jeb shocks everyone by speaking clearly and eloquently…
Thursday Open Thread [8.6.15] — All Debate Edition

Thursday Open Thread [8.6.15] — All Debate Edition

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New York Times: “The most pressing question that Donald Trump could face [tonight] in the first debate of the 2016 presidential race may not be about Iran or immigration, but this: Can he deploy enough adjectives (‘huge!’), superlatives (‘the worst!’) and invectives (‘loser!’) for him to use up his time without being challenged successfully on the substance of policy?”
“Mr. Trump could come away a winner if he makes cogent points without sounding too hostile, presenting himself as more of a serious-minded, anti-establishment voice in a primary crowded with career Republican politicians. But there are risks for him if he turns the debate stage in Cleveland into another episode of the reality show his campaign has sometimes resembled.”
Then again, ABC News reports that he is just going to "wing it," which is great news for us watching for mere entertainment value:
“Candidates usually spend hours and hours preparing for a major debate — reading up the issues, going through practice Q & A sessions or mock debates and practicing lines to use when the big moment comes. Not Donald Trump,” ABC News reports. Said one senior adviser: “Trump doesn’t rehearse… I have no idea what to expect. I’m just as clueless as you about what he’ll do.” “It’s not that his political team hasn’t tried. Trump’s aides have prepared him memos on the issues and the expected lines of questions and potential attacks from the other candidates, but there have been no formal debate prep sessions, no mock Q & A, no practice debates.”
Carper Leaning Yes. Coons Leans War.

Carper Leaning Yes. Coons Leans War.

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Unthankfully, Chris Coons, supposedly the smart one, is leaning no.
Sen. Chris Coons, who was personally lobbied by President Barack Obama and national security adviser Susan Rice to back the deal during a trip to Africa in July, said the view of the accord was about evenly split in his home state of Delaware in the first few days after the announcement. But the Democrat now says telephone calls against the deal outnumber those in favor by 10-to-1 in his state, an avalanche of opposition he has no choice but to listen to. “I am a Democrat, and I would like to be able to support this agreement,” Coons said. “But I have serious reservations about it.”
Let me make some things crystal clear for the Senator. If you vote no, you are not a Democrat. If you vote no, you want and desire immediate war. The day after you vote no, you and I can meet at Elaine Manlove's office, and I will help you fill out the forms to change your registration to the Republican Party. Your next election is not until 2020, but I will make it my life's work to deny you renomination and reelection. You will be the Joe Lieberman of Delaware. You think we hold Tom Carper in disdain for his moderation at times, just wait to see what we do to you. I can give two shits about conservative astro-turf phone calls to your office. This is one of those issues where you substitute your own judgment and your knowledge for the people's rather than just being a conduit of what an unintelligent Sussex County teabagger thinks. And if you genuinely have reservations about this deal, let me tell you something: everyone has reservations about this deal. This is a deal with an adversary. An enemy. Someone and something we do not trust. If you did not have reservations about this deal, you would be an idiot. I have reservations about this deal. We have to see whether Iran sticks to it. That is my reservation. And if they do not, guess what Senator... WE CAN BOMB THEM THEN. WE CAN REIMPOSE SANCTIONS THEN. WE CAN GO TO WAR THEN. To vote no now means you unequivocally want war now. It means you do not want to even give peace and inspections a chance. It means you have no brain. It means you are a Republican. If you are really taking into account the phone calls of those who do nothing all day but sit at home and watch Fox News, please remember, they voted for Christine O'Donnell. They never voted for you. They never will. And besides, your next election is in 2020. Chances are they will be dead by then anyway. Seriously though, to base a vote of this importance on feedback your office receives makes me question your suitability and ability to perform your job. It also makes me think you are a coward. Whether you fear the voters or you fear your donors, or both, you are still acting out of fear. DL readers, since it appears the so wise Senator places great value on the calls he gets, take a moment and call 202-224-5042, say you are a Democrat, say that he will support the Iran Deal or he will not be the Democratic nominee in 2020. Say all that. It's time to clobber our mealy mouthed federal representation over the head.